Variable speed rotary fluid coupling



Sept. 27, 1955 c.y A. oDlNG 25718760 VARIABLE SPEED ROTARY FLUIDCOUPLING Original Filed April 28, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet l c. A. oDlNG2,718,760

VARIABLE SPEED ROTARY FLUID COUPLING Sept. 27, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2Original Filed April 28, 1947 INVENroR. CARL PJNQ'.

United States Patent() VARIABLE SPEED ROTARY FLUID coUPLlNG Carl A.Oding, Alameda, Calif., assignor to Planamatic Corporation, Oakland,Calif., a corporation of California Original application April 28, 1947,Serial No. 744,385,

now Patent No. 2,649,690, dated August 25, 1953. Divided and thisapplication May 8, 1952, Serial No. 286,849

6 Claims. (Cl. 60-54) The present invention `relates to hydrauliccouplings of the kinetic energy type, in which a driving member and adriven member are so constructed and juxtaposed that an energytransmitting fluid will circulate therebetween in a vortex ring and moreparticularly to an improved type of fluid coupling or clutch havingmeans by which the quantity of uid in circulation between its drivingand driven members may be varied to control the slip, torque and/orspeed transmitting characteristics of the coupling.

This application is a division of my earlier led application, Serial No.744,385 tiled April 28, 1947, now Pat. No. 2,649,690, issued August 25,1953, and entitled: Variable Speed Rotary Fluid Coupling.

It is sometimes desirable in a coupling of this type to selectivelycontrol the operating characteristics thereof. This is generallyaccomplished by varying the amount of liquid in the vortex or workingchamber formed between the driving and driven members of the coupling.

At the present time there are several methods by which this result canbe obtained. The most common procedure is to permit the escape of oilthrough a constricted outlet at the perimeter of the vortex chamber andthen regulate the flow of a fluid thereto by a variable pumping meanswhich will compensate for this loss of fluid and thus maintain a desiredlevel of lluid in the vortex chamber. In another arrangement where thelow of fluid is maintained at a rate which will more than compensate forany loss of fluid at the perimeter of the vortex ring there is provideda scoop-like discharge outlet which may be regulated to extract fluidfrom the vortex supporting chamber whenever fluid in an excess of thatwhich is required will be directed out of the vortex chamber. Normallycouplings of this type are operated with the vortex chamber completelyfilled but where a diierence in speed between the driving and drivenmembers becomes important as in connecting a load to a source of powerand/or for the purpose of maintaining a difference in speed between thedriving and driven members, these couplings may be operated with thevortex chamber only partially filled. Under these conditions the amountof operating fluid in the vortex chamber will determine the slip thatwill prevail between the driving and driven members. In other words, asthe operating fluid is withdrawn from the vortex chamber the slipbetween the driving and driven members will increase. By the same token,as the vortex chamber is lled up the driving and driven members willcome into rotation at more nearly the same speeds. In a good couplingunder full load conditions and with the vortex chamber completely lled,the normal slip will very rarely exceed 2% The principal object of mypresent invention is to provide a fluid clutch or coupling of the fluidvortex type which may be operated eliciently for long periods as aspeedl reducing unit without overheating which is the major fault inlike couplings of the prior art.

vAnother object of the inventions to provide a new ice and novelarrangement by which any desired or predetermined level of operatingfluid may be maintained in the vortex chamber of the couplingindependently of the r-ate of ow of said fluid to and therefrom. j

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel form of'centrifugally operated fluid discharge means for the vortex chamber ofa liuid coupling by which any predetermined level of operating uid maybe maintained in4 the vortex chamber of the coupling without interferingwith the free circulation of the operating uid there-- through.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improvement in acoupling of the Fttinger type which will permit a manual adjustment ofthe slip between the vortex chamber forming members of the couplingwhile in operation and entirely independently of the flow of the work`ing uid through the coupling.

Another object of the invention is to provide an ar-y rangement for thecontrol of the fluid level in a coupling of the vortex chamber type asherein contemplated, which will permit of a rapid change and/ or acontinued operation at a reduced output speed without overheating.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved arrangementwherein all the objects and advantages hereinbefore set forth areobtained in a fluid coupling of the so called vortex chamber typewithout the use of a fluid scooping device such as is now more generallyemployed for maintaining a desired level of operating uid within thevortex chamber of the coupling.

The foregoing and other objects of the invention, which will be apparentto those skilled in the art, are attained by means of a novelcombination and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter described andclaimed, and in order that the same may be better understood, reference`is had to the accompanying drawings which illustrate the now preferredforms of the invention. It is to be understood, however, that theinventive conception is capable of many other mechanical expressionswithin the scope of the subject matter claimed hereinafter.

In the drawing- Figure 1, is a vertical sectional view of a couplingFigure 5 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the principle upon whichthe present embodiment of the invention operates, and

Figure 6 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the principle of operationin a prior art arrangement without a scoop tube. t

The major problem in operating a fluid clutch or coupling of thehydraulic type such as is here contemplated under conditions involvingexcessive slips is to provide a means for preventing an overheating ofthe operating fluid. With the prior art methods this problem is diftl'-cult o'f solution for the reason that the circulation of uid through thecoupling is limited by the restricted fluid outlet means through whichthe operating fluid escapes or is withdrawn from the vortex chamber. Inaccordance with my present invention, this ditliculty is overcome byproviding for a free discharge of the operating Huid from the vortexchamber in such a manner that the level of fluid in the vortex chambermay be maintained constant at all" times irrespective of the rate offlow of the operating uid into the vortex chamber. Briey this isaccomplished `b providing a means-thatwill form an outlet at the perim-Patented Sept. 27, 1.955y

eter of the vortex chamber which will Idischarge the uid inwardlly at apoint nearer the axis of rotation of the driving and driven members andwithin the radial limits of the vortexrchamber formed between thedriving and driven members.v

This in vveffect provideswhat may be termed a centrif ugally operateduid Itrap in which the trapped iluid will establish a counter-balancingcolumn of uid externally of the vortex .cham-ber of the coupling whichwill determine `the level or amount of operating fluid that willremainoi-be maintained in the vortex chamber of the coupilingindependently of the rate lof dow-or quantity of fluid introduced intothe vortex chamber from the source of uid supply.

In Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings a driving shaft 10 and a'driven shaft`11 are shown as juxtaposed within an enclosing housing similar to lthatdescribed in my parent application and which Vis formed by end plates 58and 59 that `carry suitable shaft `supporting bearings 60 and 61.

At their meeting ends the shafts and l1 are also held in alignment bymeans of a suitable telescopin-g bearing 62. In this particular.arrangement afdriving member 64 is carried 'by the driving shaft 10 andthe driven shaft 11 carries a secondary or driven member 63. The drivingmember 64 also carries an inwardly extending and overlapping -portion 65that is adapted to surround Vthe driven member 63 and at its inner edgethis portion 65 also has a cylindrical collar or sleeve 66 which isdisposed in spaced concentric relation to the driven shaft 11 and theresupported by a suitable bearing 67. Mounted upon the cylindrical collar66 there is also an axially slidable sleeve 68 which is adapted to be.moved for a limited distance along the cylindrical collar 66 by meansof a yoke-like lever arm 69 which is keyed upon a transversely extendingshaft 70. Forked ends 71 of the lever arm 69 vare also .here `shown asengageable with O Ppositely extending pins 72 that are carried by 'afreely rotatable ring 73 which is recessed within an annular grooveformed .upon the outer end of the slidable sleeeve 68. The slidablesleeve 68 also carries two axially extending rack gears 74 which, aswill `hereinafter appear, -operate to ,control the discharge of fluidfrom the vortex chamber formed by the driving and driven members 64 and63;. In this particular embodimento-f the invention the ,driving member64 is provided with an 4axially extending conduit 75 whichconnectsat oneend with the'space at `the perimeter of the `vortex chamber. At .itsvother end the ,conduit 75 is provided with a radially disposed andinwardly ,extending valve member 76 which is in the form of a spirallyperforated conduit with fports 77. This valvememberor radially extendingconduit 76 with its ports 77 is supported in a.iixed,'position at itsouter end bythe conduit 75 and at its inner end there is a bracket 7.8which extends outwardly from the overlapping portion 65 of thedrivingmember 64 at a point closely-adjacent the raclt gear 74 carried by theslidable sleeve 68. Disposed within the f spirally perforated valvemember or conduit 76 and irotatable with respect thereto there is atubular valve .member 79 which carries a plurality of apertures orperforations 80 that are arranged in astraightline and which are adaptedto be successively brought into register with the spirally arrangedports 77 of the spirally perforated valve member 76. This tubular valvemember 79 is hereshown as adapted to be rotated within the spirallyAperforated conduit 76 by means of apinon gear 81 which is xed upon thelower end thereof where it will mesh .with the rack Vgear 74 upon theslidable sleeve 68. With this particular arrangement of vports andapertures upon thevalve member or conduit 76 andthe tubular valve member79 it .is contemplated that as the tubular valve member 79 is .turnedwithin the conduit 76 the perforations 80-and the ports 77 ,will comeinto register progressively in a direction leading-from the conduit 76and toward'the axis aboutcwhichfthe .coupling is operating. AsV moreclearly shown :in ,Figure I2 `of e the t drawings -the yoke-like Lleverarm 69 is adapted to be moved by a manually operated lever arm 82 thatis keyed upon the shaft 70 externally of the housing within which thecoupling is disposed. From this it will be understood that when themanually operated lever 82 is rocked from..one position to another theslidable sleeve 68 will be correspondingly moved. This will cause therack gear 74 carried vthereby Ato rotate the pinionsk 81 and thus causethe tubular valve member 79 to turn within the stationary valve member76 and thus progressively bring its ports 80 into register with theports 77 and provide a discharge outlet for the conduit which willprogress inwardly within the Ilimits of the vortex .chamber as vwill bedetermined by the degree of rotation of the tubular valve member 79. Inthis manner as the ports 77 of the stationary valve member 76 aresuccessively opened by rotation of the tubular valve member 7 9 therewill be provided a discharge outlet the position of which will bedetermined by the particular port which is opened and through which thecirculating iluid passing through lthe vortex chamber is centrifugallydischarged. `In other words, the particular port 77 of the valve member76 which is opened in this manner will provide aweir-like overow outletthrough which all fluid in .excess of the level thus established in thevortex Chamber may spill over or ow by centrifugal force. At this point-it should be added that while the ports 77 and the perforations arehere shown as of relatively small diameter these maybe greatly enlargedif a tine adjustment 1 or perforations may be provided on these numbers.The

end plates SS and 59 of the housing carry an encircling shroud 82 whichserves to confine the operating uidand cause it to .collect `in areservoir 8,3 at the lower part ,thereof. Within this reservoir 33 thereis a straineri through which theoperating fluid is withdrawn -by a-pump85 and then circulated to a cooler 86 from which it will be delivered bymeans of a pipe connection 67 to a chamber 89 that extends around thedriven shaft 11 at the outer endof the cylindrical collar 66. V In thismanner the operating fluid designatedby the ,numeral 90 maybe causedtorecirculate from .the lreservoirV 3 3 and along .the driven shaft 11 tothe interior of the vortex chamber of the coupling.

By referring to-,Figure 3 of the drawings it will be vnoted that the twoseries of ports 77 which are arranged spirally upon the .stationaryvalve member `76 are staggered vertically with respect to-each otherineach series sothat with such an arrangementand the `s eries of ports 80of the tubular valve member 79 similarly staggered it will `be seen thatthe discharge outlet through lthe .conduit 76 .may be varied in asubstantially continuous manner or .in small increments. In other words,with this arrangement the levelof fluid discharge, when operatingfullythrough one of theopen ports 77 will b e transferred to .aAsubsequent port 77 of the other series upon aslight additional rotationofthe tubular -valve member 79 and inthis way avery tine adjustment ofthe uid level-within the vortex chamber .willbe possible.

As-.is more clearlysshown in Figure .4.of .the drawings thegraek 74 ispositioned slightly otf center so that lthe pinion 81 .willvoperateabout acenter'that is radial to the axis of rotationof the couplingmember. Itis believed that with thesefurther detailed showings theconstruction of ,this latter form of discharge conduit vwll befullyvunderstood.

For a description vof the operation-as described above, referencevis nowmade toFigures 5 and 6 of thedrawings which diagrammatically illustratethe principles that are involved. Inthese diagrams there is shown astatic representation of the lower halfof the ,vortex chamber, of acoupling. While the elements, ashere shown, are static with thevariouslevels of fluid indicated by a horizontal line it will beunderstood that in operation these levels will be comparable to theinner surface of the fluid which will be maintained by centrifugal forcewhen the coupling is operating. An advantage of this particulararrangement over the prior art methods of control is that it will permitthe maintenance of any predetermined level of operating fluid within thevortex chamber irrespective of the rate of flow of the operatingiluid'therethrough. With this it will be also seen that the operatingfluid may be circulated, cooled and recirculated through the vortexchamber with a continuous and constant rate of flow. At the same time,should the flow of fluid be temporarily discontinued for any reason thecoupling will still operate with the particular level of uid within thevortex chamber for which the discharge conduit isadjusted. For some usesit is also contemplated that where no excessive heating is encounteredthe coupling may be operated in this latter manner.

Upon now referring to Figure 5 it will be seen that the principle ofoperation of the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figure 1 ofthe drawings is substantially similar to those prevailing in my priorapplication. However, in this instance I provide the fixed and radiallydisposed discharge outlet 76 with its plurality of spirally arrangedports 77 with which the apertures or perforations 80 of the internallydisposed valve member 79 are adapted to register as the latter member isturned relative thereto. As indicated in this diagram, one of theintermediate ports 77 of the conduit 76 is shown as in register with anintermediate perforation of the tubular valve member 79 and when sopositioned thesemembers will serve to permit the escape of fluid fromthe vortex chamber at a level corresponding to the line B-B. In this waythere will be provided a range of control for thelevel of fluid in thevortex chamber which will correspond substantially to the radial lengthof the fluid discharge conduit 76. When operating in this manner it Willbe seen that as the operating fluid is discharged through one or theother of the ports 77 of the discharge conduit 76 it will return to thereservoir 83 where it will be vpicked up by the pump 85 and delivered tothe cooler 86 from which the iiuid will then return via the pipeconnection S7 to the interior of the vortex chamber at a point near theaxis of rotation of the coupling.

In Figure 6 there is shown a diagrammatic illustration of one form ofprior art coupling having a driving member 91 and a driven member 92which form a vortex chamber 93. In this arrangement the vortex chamberis provided with 'a restricted outlet 94 for the continuous discharge ofthe operating fluid at the. perimeter of the coupling. In principle theoperation of this type of coupling contemplates a pumping of theoperating uid to the vortex chamber at a rate which will compensateforthe discharge of fluid which is constantly taking placeY at therestricted outlet 9 4. In this particular showing the rate of liow isillustrated as sufiicient to maintain a level of fluid in the vortexchamber which will correspond to the lineC-C. With this form ofcoupling, if it should be desired to lower the centrifugal level of thefluid in the vortex chamber of coupling the rate of ow will be decreaseduntil the desired level is obtained or contrariwise if the level offluid in the vortex chamber 93 is to be raised the rate of flow of fluidto the coupling will be increased to a point in excess of the rate ofdischarge of fluid through the outlet 94 until the new level isobtained. In this way the operation of the coupling and consequently theslip between the driving member 91 and the driven member 92 may beregulated. The upstanding column, designated by the numeral 95, is addedto represent a column of iiuid which would be comparable to the pressureobtained in a feed pipe 96 which delivers f-luid from a cooler 97. Withthis particular arrangement it will be seen that the maintenance of anyparticular level of operating fluid within the vortex chamber will bedependent upon a regulation of the fiuid pressure producing means suchas a pump 98 which will withdraw the operating fluid from a reservoir 99into which it is discharged from the restricted outlet 94. With thislatter or prior art form o f coupling it will be seen that the rate ofow of the operating uid through the vortex chamber will be restrictedand determined by the size of the discharge outlet means 94 andtherefore the circulation of an operating iiuid for the purpose ofmaintaining a cooled condition of operation will be correspondinglyrestricted. But, as distinguished from this it will also be seen vthatwith the arrangements contemplated by this invention, as illustrated inFigures l and 5 of the drawings, a constant quantity and a uniform liowof operating fluid may be maintained within the vortex chamber of thecoupling and this at any desired level. The side of the dischargeoutlets provided by my particular level controlling means may be of anydesired size and therefore the rate of flow of operating uid through thevortex chamber may be maintained at any rate which will insure a uniformand practical temperature for the operating fiuid with any degree ofslip between driving and driven members.

While I have, for the sake of clearness and in order to disclose theinvention so that the same can be readily understood, described andillustrated specific devices and arrangements, I desire to have itunderstood that this 'invention is not limited to the specific meansdisclosed,

but may be embodied in other forms that will suggest themselves topersons skilled in the art. It is believed that this invention is newand all such changes as come within the scope of the appended claims areto be considered as part of this invention.

I claim:

1. A fluid level controlling valve for hydraulic couplings of the vortexchamber type, comprising an open ended fixed cylindrical valve memberdisposed radially with respect to the axis of the coupling, a iluidconduit extending from the outermost end of said valve member andcommunicating with the vortex chamber of the coupling at its outerperimeter, a second Open ended cylindrical valve member mounted forrotation within said first valve member, one of said valve membershaving spaced iiuid discharge ports disposed in a spiral line extendinginwardly from said fluid conduit toward the axis of the coupling and theother of said valve members having a corresponding number of portsdisposed in a straight line extending inwardly from said fluid conduittoward the axis of the coupling, and means for rotating said secondvalve member with respect to said fixed valve member to successivelyestablish open iiuid discharge ports along said fixed valve memberinwardly toward the axis of the coupling while the coupling is inoperation, whereby the point of discharge of iiuid through a port ofsaid fixed valve member will determine the amount and level of fluidcentrifugally maintained in the vortex chamber of the coupling from zeroto its maximum capacity.

2. A fluid level controlling valve for hydraulicv couplings ofthe vortexchamber type, comprising an open ended fixed cylindrical valve memberdisposed radially with respect to the axis of the coupling, a fluidconducting conduit extending from the outermost open end of said fixedcylindrical valve member and communicating with the vortex chamber ofthe coupling at its outer perimeter, a second open ended cylindricalvalve member mounted for rotation within said first valve member, saidfirst valve member having spaced fluid discharge ports disposed in aspiral line extending inwardly from said iluid conducting conduit towardthe axis of the coupling and said second valve member having acorresponding number of ports disposed in a straight line extendinginwardly from said fluid conducting conduit toward the axis of thecoupling, and means for rotating said second valve member with respectto said xed valve member to successively open a discharge port of saidixed valve member inwardly toward the axis of the coupling while thecoupling is in operation, whereby the point of discharge of fluidthrough said valve will determine the level of fluid centrifugallymaintainedV in the vortex chamber ofthe coupling. throughout the entireoperating limits;

3`. A iiuid level controlling valve for hydraulic couplings of thevortex chamber type, comprising an open ended fixed cylindrical valvemember disposed radially with respect to the axis of the coupling, aHuid directing conduit extending from the open end of said fixed valvemember and communicating with the vortex chamber of the coupling at itsouter perimeter, a second open ended cylindrical valve member mountedfor rotation within said first valve member, said first valve memberhaving two rows of spaced iiuid discharge ports disposed in spiral linesextending inwardly from the outer end thereof toward the axis of saidcoupling and said second valve member having a corresponding number ofports arranged in two rows and disposed in straight lines extendinginwardly from the outer end thereof toward the axis of the coupling, andmeans for rotating said second'valve member with respectV to said fixedvalve member to successively open the spirally arranged discharge portsof said fixed valve member inwardly toward thel axis of the coupling,whereby the point of discharge of fluid through said fixed valve memberwill determine the level of uid centrifugally maintained in thecouplingthroughout the entire radial limits of the vortex chamber of thecoupling.

4. A fluid level controlling valve for hydraulic couplings of the vortexchamber type, comprising an open ended iixed cylindrical valve memberextending radially with respect to the axis of the coupling, a fluiddirecting conduit extending from the open end of said fixed valve memberand communicating-with the vortex chamber of the coupling at its outerperimeter, a secondl open ended cylindrical valve member mounted forrotation Within said iirst valve member, said first valve member havingtwo rows of spaced fluid discharge ports disposed in spiral linesextending inwardly from its outer end toward the axis of said couplingand said secondvalve member having a corresponding number ofportsarranged in two ro`ws extending therealong in straight lines inwardlytoward the axis of the coupling-said two rows of spirally disposed uiddischarge ports of said first valve member being staggered with respectto the ports of said second valve member to provide a substantiallycontinuous and radially variable uid discharge outlet from the'vortexchamber of the coupling'as the two straight rows of ports arealternately brought into register therewith, and means for rotating saidsecond valve member with respect to said fixed valve member tosuccessively open the discharge ports'of said iixed valve memberinwardly toward the axis of the coupling, whereby the point of dischargeof iiuid through said fixed valve member may be adjusted to completelyempty and/or determine the level of fiuid centrifugally maintained inthe vortex chamber of the coupling.

5. In a fluid level controlling means for variable speed hydrauliccouplings of the vortex chamber type employing a constant flow ofoperating fluid therethrough, the

8 combinationofa housing member carried by one of the operating rotorsoftheV coupling' forming a chamber withinA whichv the other of saidrotors operates, said housing member having conduit communicating withthe vortex chamber of the coupling at its outer perimeter, an open endedcylindrical valve body member communicating with saidconduitV andextending radially inward with respect to the perimeter of the coupling,an open ended tubular valve member disposed within said valve bodymember communicating with the conduit of said housing member, said valvebody member andv said valve member respectively having a plurality ofspaced uid discharging ports formedtherein along diverging linesextending inwardly from the open ends thereof, adapted and arranged toprovideA radially variable points of discharge for fluid iiowing throughsaid conduit from the vortex chamber of the coupling, and meansforoperating said' valve member with respect to said valve body memberwhile the coupling is inV operation, whereby the level of operatingiiuid centrifugally maintained in said vortex chamber of the couplingmay be varied from zero to its maximum capacity to disconnect and/ orcontrol the speed ratio between the driving and driven members of thecoupling.

6. In a fiuid level controlling means for hydraulic couplings of thevortex chamber type having a driving member and a driven member with aconstant flow of operating fiuid therebetween,` the combination of ahousing member carried by the driving member of the coupling forming achamber in which the driven member operates, said housing member havinga conduit communicating with the vortex chamber of the coupling at itsouter perimeter, an elongated valve body member communicating at itsouter end with said conduit and extending inwardly within the radiallimits of the vortex chamber ofthe coupling, an open ended tubular valvemember disposed within' said valve body member also communicating withsaid conduit at its outer end, said valve body member and said valvemember each having a plurality of spaced fluid discharge ports disposedalong diverging lines extending inwardly toward the axis of the couplingadapted and arranged to provide a radially variable point of dischargefor uid iiowing to said valve body member through said conduit from thevortex chamber of the coupling, and means for turning said-valve memberwith respect to said valve body forming member while the coupling is inoperation, whereby the level of fluid centrifugally maintained in thevortex chamber may be varied from zero to any desired degree todisconnect and/ or control the speed ratio between the driving anddriven members of the coupling.

References Cited in the file of this patentl UNITED STATES PATENTS

